About Optics & Photonics TopicsOSA Publishing developed the Optics and Photonics Topics to help organize its diverse content more accurately by topic area. This topic browser contains over 2400 terms and is organized in a three-level hierarchy. Read more.

Topics can be refined further in the search results. The Topic facet will reveal the high-level topics associated with the articles returned in the search results.

Abstract

We demonstrate compact waveguide splitter networks in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) rib waveguides using trench-based splitters (TBSs) and bends (TBBs). Rather than a 90° geometry, we use 105° TBSs to facilitate reliable fabrication of high aspect ratio trenches suitable for 50/50 splitting when filled with SU8. Three dimensional (3D) finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulation is used for splitter and bend design. Measured TBB and TBS optical efficiencies are 84% and 68%, respectively. Compact 105° 1×4, 1×8, and 1×32 trench-based splitter networks (TBSNs) are demonstrated. The measured total optical loss of the 1×32 TBSN is 9.15 dB. Its size is only 700 µm×1600 µm for an output waveguide spacing of 50 µm.

Measured loss of 105° TBB as a function of number of bends in a set of equal-length waveguides. The average error for each data point is +/-0.09 dB. The insertion loss is ~37 dB, with almost all of this (~36 dB) due to the fiber/waveguide mode mismatch in getting light on and off chip.